Clarion River
Encyclopedia
The Clarion River is a tributary
of the Allegheny River
, approximately 110 mi (177 km) long, in west central Pennsylvania
in the United States
. It drains a mountainous area of the Allegheny Plateau
in the Ohio River
watershed, flowing through narrow serpentine valley
s and hardwood forest
s.
in central Elk County
by the confluence of its East and West Branches. The East Branch, approximately 15 mi (24 km) long, rises in northeastern Elk County and flows southwest through East Branch Clarion River Lake
to join the West Branch. The river flows generally WSW across western Pennsylvania in a tight meander
ing course past Ridgway
and Clarion
. It joins the Allegheny from the east in western Clarion County
approximately 5 mi (8 km) south of Emlenton
.
The Clarion is a designated part of the National Wild and Scenic River
program.
At the end of the 19th century and into the beginning of the 20th century, much of what is now the Allegheny National Forest
and surrounding areas were deforested, in part to make way for the oil boom that followed Edwin Drake
's discovery of oil near Titusville
on August 27, 1859, but also for wood chemicals. Bark was in especially high demand for local tanneries
that produced prodigious amounts of leather. This deforestation significantly degraded the watershed of the upper Allegheny in general, leading to floods downstream (particularly in Pittsburgh), and eventually to the declaration of the national forest in 1923, but in the case of the Clarion River, run-off from tanneries compounded the problem. Acid mine drainage also compounded the problem. The Clarion was an important part of the timber industry, allowing timber to be transported downstream to the Allegheny, then the Ohio, and ultimately the Mississippi. The Clarion River came to be Pennsylvania's most polluted waterway.
The regrowth of the forest did much to help restore the Clarion River, as well as a major cleaning effort in the 1980s. Today, the river is used for fishing, canoeing, and other recreational activities, and runs through extensive wildlife and forest areas, including a 4241 acres (17.2 km²) inventoried roadless area that has been proposed as a national wilderness area
. In 1996, a 51.7 miles (83.2 km) stretch of the Clarion River was designated a National Wild & Scenic River.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, approximately 110 mi (177 km) long, in west central Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It drains a mountainous area of the Allegheny Plateau
Allegheny Plateau
The Allegheny Plateau is a large dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio...
in the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
watershed, flowing through narrow serpentine valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
s and hardwood forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s.
Course
It is formed at JohnsonburgJohnsonburg, Pennsylvania
Johnsonburg is a borough in Elk County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh and south of Buffalo, New York, in a productive farming and lumbering region. Paper mills were once common here, and Domtar still maintains a paper mill there today. In 1910, 4,334 people lived here...
in central Elk County
Elk County, Pennsylvania
Elk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 31,946.Elk County was created on April 18, 1843, from parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean Counties, and is named for the Eastern elk that historically inhabited the region. Its county...
by the confluence of its East and West Branches. The East Branch, approximately 15 mi (24 km) long, rises in northeastern Elk County and flows southwest through East Branch Clarion River Lake
East Branch Clarion River Lake
East Branch Clarion River Lake, or East Branch Lake is a reservoir at Elk State Park in Elk County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by damming the East Branch of the Clarion River. Construction of the rolled earth, impervious core dam was...
to join the West Branch. The river flows generally WSW across western Pennsylvania in a tight meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
ing course past Ridgway
Ridgway, Pennsylvania
Ridgway is a borough in and the county seat of Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States.-History:Ridgway was founded by Philadelphian shipping merchant Jacob Ridgway and James Gillis. Jacob Ridgway earned substantial wealth both in Philadelphia and abroad in London. He constantly sent sums of money...
and Clarion
Clarion, Pennsylvania
Clarion is a borough in Clarion County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, about 100 miles north-northeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh DMA. Clarion was settled in 1839 and incorporated in 1841. In the past, the surrounding area produced natural gas, oil, lumber and coal. Merely 2,004...
. It joins the Allegheny from the east in western Clarion County
Clarion County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 41,765 people, 16,052 households, and 10,738 families residing in the county. The population density was 69 people per square mile . There were 19,426 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
approximately 5 mi (8 km) south of Emlenton
Emlenton, Pennsylvania
Emlenton is a borough located mostly in Venango County, in the southeastern corner of the county, with a small portion located in Clarion County in Pennsylvania. The population was 784 at the 2000 census...
.
The Clarion is a designated part of the National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
program.
History
Before 1817, the Clarion River was more commonly called "Tobeco," likely a corruption of Tuppeek-hanne, meaning the stream that flows from a large spring. Settlers called it the Toby or Stump Creek as early as 1809. The name Clarion was given by surveyor Daniel Stanard in 1817, who said the water sounded like a distant clarion.At the end of the 19th century and into the beginning of the 20th century, much of what is now the Allegheny National Forest
Allegheny National Forest
The Allegheny National Forest is a National Forest located in northwestern Pennsylvania. The forest covers of land. Within the forest is Kinzua Dam, which impounds the Allegheny River to form Allegheny Reservoir. The administrative headquarters for the Allegheny National Forest is located in Warren...
and surrounding areas were deforested, in part to make way for the oil boom that followed Edwin Drake
Edwin Drake
Edwin Laurentine Drake , also known as Colonel Drake, was an American oil driller, popularly credited with being the first to drill for oil in the United States.-Early life:...
's discovery of oil near Titusville
Titusville, Pennsylvania
Titusville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,146 at the 2000 census. In 1859, oil was successfully drilled in Titusville, resulting in the birth of the modern oil industry.-History:...
on August 27, 1859, but also for wood chemicals. Bark was in especially high demand for local tanneries
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
that produced prodigious amounts of leather. This deforestation significantly degraded the watershed of the upper Allegheny in general, leading to floods downstream (particularly in Pittsburgh), and eventually to the declaration of the national forest in 1923, but in the case of the Clarion River, run-off from tanneries compounded the problem. Acid mine drainage also compounded the problem. The Clarion was an important part of the timber industry, allowing timber to be transported downstream to the Allegheny, then the Ohio, and ultimately the Mississippi. The Clarion River came to be Pennsylvania's most polluted waterway.
The regrowth of the forest did much to help restore the Clarion River, as well as a major cleaning effort in the 1980s. Today, the river is used for fishing, canoeing, and other recreational activities, and runs through extensive wildlife and forest areas, including a 4241 acres (17.2 km²) inventoried roadless area that has been proposed as a national wilderness area
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
. In 1996, a 51.7 miles (83.2 km) stretch of the Clarion River was designated a National Wild & Scenic River.
See also
- List of National Wild and Scenic Rivers
- List of rivers of Pennsylvania
- List of tributaries of the Allegheny River
- Wilderness ActWilderness ActThe Wilderness Act of 1964 was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected some 9 million acres of federal land. The result of a long effort to protect federal wilderness, the Wilderness Act was signed...